36o A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



to the camp at Umfule upon business, whilst Clarkson 

 and I took a ride to the eastward, but saw no fresh, 

 elephant spoor. 



September iGth. — Messrs. Wood and Cross having 

 returned the previous evening, we determined, since 

 we were getting no more fresh spoor, to inspan the 

 waggons and trek over to the river Umbila. This 

 we did, and reached the river by mid-day, where we 

 were occupied during the afternoon in making a fresh 

 camp. About here we saw a great deal of fresh 

 rhinoceros spoor, principally that of the white 

 species. 



This evening we determined to leave the waggons 

 the next morning, and take a round on horseback 

 for ten days or so towards the north-east, as Wood, 

 who had hunted this country years before, thought 

 we should in all probability find elephants in the 

 thick groves of mahobo-hobo (a tree bearing a very 

 nice fruit, and only found, so far as I am aware, in 

 the Mashuna country) which lie between the Umsen- 

 gaisi and Hanyane rivers. Our preparations were 

 soon made, and by an hour after daylight, on 

 September 17, we were on the march, taking with us 

 corn for the horses, and provisions for ourselves to 

 last a fortnight. 



We had scarcely forded the Umbila river when 

 we crossed the fresh spoor of five or six elephant 

 bulls, which we at once followed. It was about 

 mid-day, and we were fast gaining upon them, when 

 they took a turn and made straight for the " fly." 

 As we had been all the morning upon the edge of 

 the infested district, we now kept a sharp look-out, 

 and it was not long before a " fly " was caught upon 

 Clarkson's horse, which we killed, and then again 

 took up the spoor, as Wood said the " fly " was not 



